The Runic Salamander
by PraetorFable
Summary: Rescued in the forest by Yajima, Natsu is brought to the Magic Council instead of Fairy Tail. There, he is trained under the watch of the Council and Wizard Saints, with the goal of one day being able to lead a Rune Knight Division of his own. How will this change the events of Fairy Tail, and how will Natsu thrive under the watch of the Magic Council? Will he ever find Igneel?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

"Igneel?! Igneel, where are you?!"

Natsu stumbled over a tree root, falling straight into a pile of leaves. He quickly sat back up, shaking the leaves from his hair and sniffled softly. Where was he?

"Igneel…where did you go?"

He pushed himself back up to his feet. They were aching, throbbing from running for so long, but he refused to give up. He knew that he would find Igneel soon—although it had never taken him this long before. His father had to be around here somewhere. Perhaps he had left to find them some breakfast?

Natsu's stomach growled, and he sniffled again. He resumed his trek through the forest, albeit slower now. Then again, hadn't Igneel said that they would train before eating today? Why would he be gone for so long?

"Igneel!" he called out again, only to receive no response. His shoulders slumped, and he came to a stop beside a large boulder. He slumped down, leaning back against it and buried his face in his hands. He had never been left alone for so long before. Igneel had promised to always tell him before he left, so why didn't he this time? Why did he lie?

There was a shuffling to his right, and Natsu shot back up to his feet, small embers beginning to fall from his palms. He met the gaze of an older man—one much older than himself—and paused. The man had thick, bushy gray eyebrows and a small mustache. Atop his head, was a large, spiked hat, which Natsu found odd looking. It had been so long since he had seen another human. Thinking back on it, he couldn't remember the last time, although he did get a sense that there had been someone in the past.

"Well, looks like I found the source of all that yelling."

Natsu held his hands up, his hands bursting into flames. The older man's eyes widened, although he made no other movement. "Who are you?!"

"My name is Yajima," the older man—Yajima said. Yajima stood his ground, his eyes never leaving Natsu as he held out a hand, which Natsu glanced at warily. "Why don't you tell me your name?"

He hesitated, lowering his hands slightly. Igneel had warned him to be wary of people he didn't know, but then again, Igneel wasn't here. Perhaps this…Yajima would be able to help him find his father. He glanced between Yajima's hand and eyes for another moment before finally replying. "Natsu."

"Natsu. What an interesting name."

The fire dissipated around his hands. It was clear that Yajima wasn't trying to hurt him; not that he really seemed that threatening in the first place. Natsu shuffled in his spot slightly, unsure of what to say. The man was still staring at him, with a strange glint in his eyes. It was almost like the older man was analyzing him.

Finally, Yajima sighed, lowering his own hand. "Tell me, young man. Why are you out here alone?"

"I was looking for my father, Igneel."

"Your father?" Yajima asked. Natsu nodded his head, and Yajima began to stroke his mustache. "What does he look like?"

"He's huge!" Natsu spread his arms out as wide as possible. "Taller than all the trees in this forest, and red, and scaly, and can breathe fire!"

"Breathe fire, you say?" Yajima was now giving him a perplexed look, and Natsu suddenly felt unsure of what he just shared. Had he said something wrong? "Scaly too, huh? Well, I certainly haven't seen any humans taller than the trees or covered in red scales before."

Natsu shook his head. "That's because he's not human! Igneel's a dragon!"

That evoked a reaction out of Yajima, as his eyes widened, and his hand froze atop his mustache. There was silence between them, and Natsu just shuffled a bit, finding it hard to remain still under Yajima's gaze. Eventually, Natsu couldn't remain quiet any longer, and continued. "Have you seen him? He never goes far."

His question seemed to knock Yajima out of whatever thoughts he had been thinking. Yajima smiled softly at the boy. "I don't think I have, but I think I know a group of people who might be able to help."

"Really?!" Natsu blurted out, startling the older man. He quickly settled back down with burning cheeks, before continuing in a quieter tone. "Although, Igneel always said that I shouldn't trust strangers."

"Nonsense." Yajima waved a hand in dismissal. For a moment, the older man reminded Natsu of Igneel. Just like his father, Yajima seemed like someone who knew everything, and despite only meeting just moments ago, Natsu felt like he could trust the man. "It's clear that you're a mage, correct?"

Natsu just nodded, and Yajima continued. "I will take you to a group of mages. I was once a part of the guild, you know."

Yajima suddenly had a faraway look in his eyes, but when Natsu waved a hand in front of his face, he regathered himself and continued. "Fairy Tail will be able to help you search for your father. Trust me, young man. I can think of no better guild in all of Fiore."

Natsu took a step back, wrapping his arms around himself. Igneel's lessons reverberated within his mind, and he would never forget just how much he had been warned to stay away from other humans. His father had never really explained why, only that he shouldn't ever approach them, and he was already feeling on edge just by talking to Yajima. As far as he knew, he had never met any other humans before, although his mind still felt a bit fuzzy when he thought about it.

Yajima picked up on his hesitation. "What's wrong?"

"Igneel told me to stay away from other humans. 'Said that a lot of them weren't good."

"Really, now?" Yajima replied, scratching his head. "Why did he say that?"

"I don't know."

Yajima hummed softly to himself for a moment. "Are you sure?"

Natsu nodded. "I don't want to join a guild."

"Are you sure?" Yajima repeated. "I can sense that you have a powerful magic. The mages within Fairy Tail would be able to help you get much stronger."

Natsu always wanted to be stronger, that's for sure, so he would be lying if he said that the thought didn't stick with him for a moment. He loved to train with Igneel, setting things on fire or attempting to burn as much as possible. It was much better than the times where he would be forced into learning hard things such as math or writing. But still, he still felt hesitant to ignore Igneel's command so easily.

"I see that you won't be swayed so easily," Yajima said before Natsu could reply. Yajima eventually sighed, shrugging. "I suppose that I can't force you, but I can't really think of any other alternative…"

They fell silent again. Natsu stood still, unsure of what to say. He wasn't really expecting anything from Yajima, and he just wanted to continue his search for Igneel. However, he felt compelled to stay, if not for the friendly nature radiating from the man before him, then the fact that he had no food or supplies to survive on his own. Igneel had always been the one to bring him whatever he needed.

"I guess there's really only one other option."

Natsu perked up at the man's words. "What?"

Yajima placed a hand on his shoulder, silent for a moment before continuing. "You can come with me. I have a seat on the Magic Council, so I know at least we can provide you with food and shelter. There are also plenty of strong mages available to help you with your search."

He couldn't remember Igneel saying anything about a council, but at least he would be able to stay with Yajima in this case. The option seemed like a much better choice to him. Plus, getting to meet stronger mages was always exciting, so Natsu quickly nodded. "I will go with you!"

Yajima smiled, and gently began to pull Natsu through the forest. "Good. Let's get moving, then. There's quite a walk until the next train station, and I want to make it there before dark."

"A train station?"

"You've never seen a train before, young man?" Natsu shook his head, falling in step with the older man. Due to the man's shorter frame, he didn't have to walk very fast, which was a relief on his feet. "Well, then I'm sure you're in for a surprise."

Natsu smiled, the thought of a new adventure exciting him, even if it was going to be without Igneel. "Where is the council anyway?"

"A faraway town," Yajima replied, huffing slightly as they stepped over a large branch. "We call it Era."

**LINE BREAK**

Natsu stumbled off the train, clutching his stomach with both hands. He hadn't known what to expect when Yajima had mentioned the train, but now that he had gotten to ride on one, he despised even the thought of it. At first, it had reminded him of flying on Igneel—being able to move at speeds much faster than he could run, but within moments of it beginning to move, he was barely able to stand.

Yajima had explained to him that he had something called motion sickness, but he wasn't sure if he really believed that. If that was true, then how could he have ridden on Igneel all those times without getting sick? The train was just a lousy chunk of metal, anyway, and riding on Igneel was a much better way of getting around.

And so, he and Yajima strode out of the train station, although for once, he was a bit slower than the older man. When he finally regained his breath, and settled his churning stomach, he was able to look around at the mysterious new city. He surely hadn't seen many towns before, but he was positive that Era had to be one of the biggest ones out there.

It was a large, sprawling area, with more buildings than he could count. Other people flooded the streets, roaming about and doing all kinds of things. Yajima had to reign him back in multiple times when he got distracted. He just couldn't help it! Igneel had never shown him so many different, exciting things before.

He watched as one mage swirled his hands in the air, putting on a performance with figures that looked like tiny people. In another building, he could only look on with a rumbling stomach as a mage used his fire magic to cook a large chunk of meat. It took Yajima an especially long time to get him away from that one.

Eventually, they arrived at the base of a mountain located directly in the center of the city. There was a humongous castle-type building sitting on top, and when Natsu had questioned Yajima about it, the only answer that he had received was that it was the Magic Council.

According to the older man, there were different Magic Council branches located all throughout Earth Land. This one here was the branch for their country of Fiore. He couldn't remember Igneel ever refer to them living in a country, or a place called Fiore, but he didn't question it. He was more interested in the prospect of food that the older man had mentioned.

The journey up the mountain was long, and by the end, Natsu's legs were burning. Yajima looked fine beside him, offering a small smile. "You'll get used to it," was all he said.

They made their way inside the large castle-like structure. Natsu had thought that the building looked amazing from down below, but up close, he was completely enraptured. The weird people dressed in white—or Rune Knights, as Yajima referred to them—always gave him a weird look. Natsu didn't really know the reasoning for it, but they were beginning to get on his nerves. When one got a little too close and tried to jab him with the end of their staff, he had flung himself at the mage.

That had quickly earned him a scolding from Yajima, and so now they were currently standing in the middle of a room with a small bed tucked into the corner. There was a table and chair placed off to one side, along with a tall dresser and mirror beside it. It had taken a while for Yajima to explain everything, but Natsu thought that he finally understood what each of them did.

"You must stay here, Natsu. Just for the time being."

Natsu huffed, crossing his arms over his chest and sat on the floor. The old wood creaked beneath him, but he paid it no mind. "I don't want to stay here. I want to go look around."

Yajima sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Not until I have official permission to house you here from the council. It's forbidden to have guests stay within the council building long-term. I shall need to present a case for you to stay."

Natsu said nothing, just staring at the floor in defiance. Yajima only sighed again. "I'll have someone bring you food. It should only take but a few hours."

Part of him still wanted to refute the man's request, but he finally gave in and nodded his head reluctantly. Yajima just patted him on the head lightly, reminding him to sit tight, before leaving and gently closing the door. Through the walls, he could hear the old man shuffle away, and then further request that a mage bring him some food.

He was thankful for the older man's care, but none of this really made any sense to him. He had lived his entire life in the forest with Igneel. That was all he had known, but now he was being dragged around cities and being trapped inside this Magic Council. There was that lingering sense of danger in the back of his mind, but he tried to fight it. Yajima had shown him nothing but kindness since Igneel had gone missing. He would make sure that his father rewarded the older man when he finally found him.

Natsu stood up, shuffling over to the window. He could see the people moving around the city below, but when he turned up to look at the sky, the sense of longing returned with more force than ever. He remembered the times where Igneel would take him flying after a hard day of training. He missed his father more than ever.

He just hoped that he would be able to find him soon.

* * *

**Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Thanks for reading! This is a brand new story, so I hope you stick around for the ride! I have plenty of plans for the future!**

**Feel free to let me know what you thought in a review! I always do my best to reply to every single one!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Time passed too slowly as Natsu waited for someone to finally return to his small room.

At first, he preoccupied himself with staring out the window. When that got too boring, he quickly took to pacing around the room as he tried to come up with ideas for where Igneel may have gone. And when that eventually became too boring, he resorted to practicing some of the magic that Igneel had taught him. It just so happened that the furniture in the room served as the perfect training objects.

"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" he shouted, slamming an enflamed fist down onto a wooden dresser. Splinters and chunks of wood flew all around him, as the dresser was pummeled into nothing more than a stack of firewood. There was a scorch mark left behind on the stone floor from his attack, and he placed his hands on his hips and let out a laugh. Even Igneel would have been impressed by his power.

He quickly moved onto the bed, swinging his leg up into the air before bringing it down with as much force as he could muster. The mattress provided a decent cushion, but the frame cracked and split in half from the power. He let out another victorious laugh. Compared to the rocks that Igneel would have him train with; these chunks of wood were nothing.

The rest of the furniture stood no chance, and soon there was little that remained intact. He kicked a shattered chunk of wood that had once been a piece of the table across the room, admiring the devastation. The was a sudden, sharp pain in the palm of his right hand. The only downside to practicing on wood was that it often resulted in splinters, and he winced as he tugged a small one out of his knuckle.

He heard the door begin to creak open behind him, but paid it little attention. He was still preoccupied with observing the results of his training, and he guessed that it would be Yajima. Natsu kicked a chunk of the mattress, cheering as he watched it fly out of the window.

"What're you doing?"

Natsu started at the sound of the voice, his back hitting the cracked wall as he stumbled back. Her voice was cold and sharp in a manner that definitely wasn't Yajima. He whipped around to find a girl standing in the doorway, a tray balanced in hand as she watched him critically. He immediately couldn't help but feel like she didn't like him. The glare in her eye was scarier than any he had seen before, even more so than Igneel's when he got angry. And the worst part about it, was that she seemed to be the same age as him too.

"Why did you destroy your room?" she continued, her words still sharp and punctual. Like the other Rune Knights around the castle, she wore similar white clothing, but she kept her dark hair untucked from the hat and had it flowing straight down behind her.

He attempted to speak but his mouth refused to open. Her glare was piercing through him, seemingly analyzing every little aspect. There was a certain presence about her that made him fearful of saying or doing anything wrong. He had no doubt that this was one of the other humans that Igneel had warned him about.

"Will you ever speak?"

He remained silent, and after a moment, she simply sighed. Suddenly, there was a red glow in her eye, and slowly, the room began to shift around him. Natsu let out a slight yelp, stumbling backwards as the bedsheets were pulled out from beneath him and tucked in neatly on the now reconstructed bed. He could only watch in awe as the rest of the room slowly began to fix itself, one object at a time, and in only mere moments, it was exactly as it was when Yajima had first brought him.

When he looked back at the girl, it was no longer in fear, but wonder. He ran up to her and grasped her free hand, making her jolt and almost drop the tray of food. She fumbled with the tray momentarily, before steadying it and shooting a glare in his direction. Natsu chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head.

"Sorry," he said meekly. She held her glare for a moment longer before sighing and shaking her head. When she took a step into the room, and placed the tray on the rebuilt table, he couldn't hold himself back from speaking any longer. The anxiety he had felt from her presence all but forgotten. "What kind of magic was that? It was so cool!"

She fixated her gaze on him again, while using her hands to smooth out the non-existent crinkles in her robe. "It's called Arc of Time."

"That's so cool!" he exclaimed again.

The girl only sighed, shaking her head and moving back over to the door. "You should exert more self-control," she said. "It's a pain having to fix up after the rest of the trainees, and the last thing I need is to be picking up after you because you couldn't wait more than five minutes alone in your room."

Natsu chuckled softly again but stopped when she began to glare again. He held up his hands. "Alright, alright. I won't destroy anything else. It's just that it's been so long since I've trained with Igneel, I've been dying to practice my magic!"

"You use fire magic, correct?"

Natsu nodded, before igniting his fist to demonstrate. He smiled when he noticed her gaze lock on his hand. "I learned fire dragon slaying magic from my father!"

The girl's glare seemed to soften momentarily, but her eyes hardened quickly once more, and her impassive mask had returned. Natsu blinked a few times, unsure if he had simply been seeing things. But before he could think on it much, she was speaking again.

"You father," she eventually spoke. Now he knew that hadn't imagined it, as her words had lost their harsh tone. "What happened to him?"

Natsu deflated at the thought of Igneel. "He…he disappeared. Yajima said that he would help me find him though! Maybe you've seen him? He's almost as big as this building, with bright red scales and giant claws! He even breathes fire too!"

"Wait." Her expression turned to confusion, just as Yajima's had back in the forest. Natsu was relieved to finally see something besides a cold expression from her. "Your father was a dragon?"

"Yeah! Have you seen any others? They might be able to lead me to Igneel too!"

The girl opened and closed her mouth a few times, watching him in disbelief. His face fell, feeling like he had said something wrong. He didn't really understand why Yajima had skirted around his mentions of Igneel, and now from the girl's reaction, it seemed like she would too.

"Dragons haven't been around for hundreds of years."

Natsu's eyes shot up. "What?"

"There aren't anymore living dragons. All that's left are the few fossils that we've found."

He blinked a few times, laughing nervously. "I don't believe you. I was just with Igneel yesterday."

They fell into silence, and Natsu found himself shuffling his feet, unsure of what to do. The girl took a step towards him, before laying a hand on his forehead. He wanted to step away, but froze when her eyes flashed again, and she was suddenly surrounded by a faint glow. Suddenly, it all faded, and she took a few steps back, and unreadable expression across her face.

"Impossible," she muttered. He knew that he probably wasn't supposed to hear that, but it was truly everyone else's fault for being too loud. "It shouldn't be possible."

"I don't know what you think it impossible, but Igneel is alive. I just saw him yesterday and—"

He stopped when she turned to the door, quickly opening it and making to step outside. She paused, turning back to him and pointing down at the now cold food sitting on the table. The serious expression she had once worn had all but shattered, leaving her looking frazzled.

"Eat." She paused again, her hand still sitting on the door handle. Natsu couldn't stop his eyes from wandering to the food on the tray. His stomach grumbled, but she continued. "Would you share your name? I think that we shall be seeing each other often."

He couldn't come up with a reason not to tell her, so after another moment, he replied. "Natsu."

"Natsu. What an interesting name…"

She turned to leave, and Natsu found himself scrambling forward to stop her. "Wait," he called out. She paused, her back facing him. From here, he could see just how long her dark hair truly was. "What's your name?"

"Ultear."

Then she was gone. Natsu was left standing amid the destroyed room, with the smell of the food quickly overwhelming his senses. He took a seat on the stone floor, pulling the tray into his lap before digging in. There were a few pieces of bread, along with some green stuff and a slab of meat that he didn't recognize. It was nothing like the food that Igneel brought to him, but after taking a bite, he didn't give it a second thought.

Until he got to the green stuff. He didn't know what that was, but it tasted disgusting.

By the time he was finishing, the door to his room opened once more, and Yajima's small frame stepped into the room. He watched Natsu for a moment, before letting out a soft chuckle. Natsu could've sworn that it sounded just like the ones Igneel would make.

"I'm surprised to see you waiting so peacefully," Yajima joked, cracking a smile. "Knowing you, I had half expected to find the room completely destroyed when I returned."

Natsu only laughed, rubbing the back of his head. He suddenly found himself grateful for Ultear's magic. If Yajima had found his room in the destroyed state, the old man probably would've been upset with him.

Yajima held out a hand, motioning for the tray, and Natsu promptly handed it to him. "Come, Natsu. There are a few things that we need to do before curfew."

* * *

Igneel had taken him flying plenty of times before and standing atop one of the towers of the Magic Council reminded him exactly of those times. The wind brushing past you, the land spread out before you as far as the eye could see. Even the people in the city below were nothing more than dots moving back and forth. He found the view to be utterly amazing.

It only made him miss Igneel even more.

"Come, Natsu," Yajima called out. Natsu stepped away from the window, bounding after the older man. "The office here finishes for the evening soon, so we need to make sure we get this done as quick as possible."

Natsu tilted his head, slowing down slightly to stay in pace with the older man. "What exactly _are_ we doing?"

"We need to officially register you into the Magic Council's database." Yajima's cane clinked against the floor a few times. "In order for you to be accepted to the Rune Knight program as an apprentice, they are going to need some specific information. Then they shall later assign you to a squad."

"Oh, okay."

They continued down the hallway. Natsu had quickly learned that the people dressed in the blue robes with the tall hats were what Yajima called the Rune Knights. He wasn't too sure what to make of them yet, although they all seemed to move out of Yajima's path. The older man had said that some of them were rather powerful, and that he might perhaps end up training with some of them one day, but he just thought they looked weird.

When they arrived at the office, they slowly approached the front desk, where a few more Rune Knights were sitting. They bowed their heads when they noticed Yajima, but only spared him a curious glance. The room was rather plain, with banners embroidered with the symbol of the Magic Council hanging on the walls, and just a few empty chairs placed below them. Three of the Rune Knights in the back were having a rather loud conversation, laughing between themselves.

Yajima greeted the Rune Knight behind the desk, before pointing at Natsu with his cane. "I need to register Natsu here. I don't know how much longer I'll be able to keep him still before he bursts."

The Rune Knight turned her gaze towards him, and Natsu found himself standing a little bit straighter. Eventually, she turned back to Yajima. "He looks rather young…"

"Yes, yes," Yajima sighed. "I shall look over his training personally. I just need the permission for him to be allowed to start the training."

"So, I assume that he is here under your recommendation, then?"

"Yes. Young Natsu shall be in my care for the foreseeable future."

The Rune Knight glanced at him again, before letting out a tired sigh. "Alright, let me find the papers. Just take a seat."

Yajima dragged him over to a set of chairs while the Rune Knight began sorting through the large stacks of papers strewn across the desk. The older man hopped into one of the seats, pulling his cane up to rest across his lap and patted the seat next to him. "Sit, Natsu."

Natsu tried. He really, truly did. But his mind quickly became filled with the prospects of training and learning about all the different magic that the Rune Knights had. He found himself shuffling in his seat, desperate to leave this tiny room, but a stern look from Yajima was enough to keep him rooted for now.

Time seemed to pass slowly, with the only sounds being from the Rune Knight searching through even more papers, this time in a drawer besides the desk, and the conversation occurring at the far end of the room. It was clear that they didn't necessarily care about being quiet, as Natsu was able to pick up on their speech. From his side-long glances, it was clear that Yajima was listening in on them too.

"Have you heard?" the first Rune Knight asked. "Fairy Tail has been causing trouble near Magnolia again. The Magic Council is supposed to be looking into their guild soon."

The second scoffed. "It's no surprise. Every year they cause more and more trouble. Soon enough, there's going to be a squad placed in Magnolia to watch them at all times."

Natsu glanced at Yajima. The older man was frowning, clutching the base of his cane with a trembling hand. Fairy Tail was the name of the guild Yajima had first mentioned when they had met. From the sound of it, it seemed like he had made the right choice in following Yajima to the council. This Fairy Tail didn't sound like it was up to any good.

"Don't know how many more times they can be reprimanded before something will be done." That was the third member of the group. His gravelly voice stood out more than the others, and he also looked to be much older than his companions, with arms bulging with muscles covered in hair. "It was their master's grandson that caused the issue this time. Doesn't look good on them."

"It won't matter for much longer." The first chuckled softly and nudged the second with his elbow. "Phantom Lord is on the rise. Have you seen their S-Class mages? Apparently, they have one that can take away a mage's magic, and another that can control all different types of fire. If Fairy Tail ain't careful, they're gonna lose their spot at number one."

"Phantom Lord," the gravelly voice spoke again. "A bunch of pushovers."

"C'mon boss," the second countered. "Surely you don't mean that."

There was silence for a moment. The Rune Knight from behind the desk stood up and walked over before handing Yajima a slip of paper. She got to work telling him which areas he would need to fill in and how to do so. Natsu watched them for a moment but was quickly drawn back into the conversation across the room.

"Phantom Lord will pass Fairy Tail by the end of the year. I would bet on it."

"Oh really," the gravely man replied. He let out a deep chuckle, one that shook his entire body. "How much?"

The first knight froze, and Natsu watched him share a glance with his partner before smiling nervously. "Ah, I wasn't exactly serious about that, sir."

"Of course not." The gravely man crossed his arms over his chest. "I've never been wrong before, and don't plan on starting now. Alright, your break is over, get back to work and start cleaning this place up."

The two Rune Knights saluted the man and rushed off to continue their work around the office. The leader crossed his arms over his large chest, watching them with a stern gaze. Then, he turned towards Natsu, meeting his gaze. Natsu withered, quickly turning back to Yajima who was handing the paper back to the Rune Knight at the desk.

"We are all set, Natsu." Yajima's voice had an edge to it. Natsu could've sworn that the man's hand was still trembling atop his cane. "Come, I shall return you to your room for the evening."

Natsu hopped off the chair, following the shuffling man out. He didn't look back at the remaining Rune Knight, but he could sense his eyes following him the entire time. When they finally stepped through the doors and into the hallway, Natsu let out a breath. Yajima was saying speaking, but he had missed most of it while being too preoccupied with his thoughts.

"—can begin training tomorrow. I will guide you throughout the first few days. At least until you get acclimated to life here."

He suddenly jumped in front of Yajima, startling the older man. "You mean I finally get to start training tomorrow?!"

"Indeed. Now, calm yourself."

All thoughts of the grizzly Rune Knight left his mind, quickly being replaced as he imagined all the different kinds of magic he would encounter during his training. Perhaps he would find another dragon slayer. Maybe one of the Rune Knights had spotted Igneel and could lead him to him. He couldn't stop thinking about all the different possibilities.

But there was one thing he knew for certain. He would get stronger. Then, he would finally be reunited with Igneel.

* * *

**Thanks for reading, everyone! I hope you enjoyed!**

**Stay tuned for more! The next should be posted sometime next month!**

**Thanks for the favorites, follows, and reviews(Awareness Bringer, Dragon Lord Draco, AdstrumXIV, and Ushindeshi)!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**Year 778 – Natsu Age 11**

"Are you ready, Natsu?"

Natsu stared up at the bald man in front of him. Yajima had introduced him to Jura Neekis just a few weeks ago, and ever since, he had been stuck to the Wizard Saint's side. The mage had so much power, he was desperate to learn where he had gotten it all from. Not only that, but Yajima had said that he was one of the youngest Wizard Saints that there ever was. If he could be so powerful at such a young age, then Natsu knew that he could too.

"Aye!" Natsu cheered, falling in step beside him. They had just arrived at the annual Guild Master's meeting. Yajima had assigned him to follow under Jura's command—not that Natsu needed any further prompting anyway. He wanted to see what the bald man could do in a fight, and so he had been anxiously awaiting the mission all week.

Jura pushed open the door to the large building, waiting for Natsu to step in before following. "Natsu, remember what I said. This is no time for fooling around. We are to take this seriously."

Natsu saluted, although in his mind, all he could see was Jura using some more of his cool earth magic. They strode into the large meeting room, which held a giant round table in center, with every one of the masters sitting around it. He recognized a few of them, specifically Master Makarov and Master Bob. They were the masters of two of his favorite guilds Fairy Tail and Blue Pegasus.

Yajima had taken him to visit his old guild of Fairy Tail a few times, and he had enjoyed the trips for the most part. It was fun to be around other mages that were as strong as him—or sometimes even stronger. He shivered as he thought of the armored redhead that had trapped him during his first visit. They had only been there for a week, but she had forced him to learn how to read and write. And that was not even getting him started on the annoying Gray.

While he liked Fairy Tail, he still knew that he had made the right decision in following Yajima. Yajima had begun his lessons on how to practice his magic, but not only that, had also frequently talked to him about possible locations where he could find Igneel. The older man had promised that he would send out scouting parties but had promised nothing. It didn't matter to him; it was just nice to have someone that seemed to want to help him find Igneel just as much as he did.

"Natsu," Jura said, dragging him from his thoughts. "I want you to wait outside by the door. You aren't allowed to hear what they discuss during the meeting."

He wanted to protest but hesitated at the glare that Jura sent his way. He may love to see the Wizard Saint in action, and want to be trained by him, but the man could scare the daylights out of him.

"Alright," he muttered, slowly leaving the meeting hall with his shoulders slumped. This mission hadn't gone anything like he had anticipated. He had thought that there would be some action, or he would be able to witness the Guild Masters in action, but instead, he was now being sent to stand by some door.

He stood there for a few minutes, doing his best to remain alert and focused. Jura had lectured him on the way here about the important of patience, and that being a Rune Knight trainee meant that you had to do your part and fulfill your duty. Natsu understood—and did want to do that—it was just that it was usually so _boring_.

And so, without giving it a second thought, he began to stroll around the small meeting building. Jura had told him that it was in a small place known only as Clover Town. It housed nothing more than a few hundred people, but it was the historic meeting place for the Guild Master's meetings, so they had still insisted on using it.

It looked like a small version of the Council Headquarters if he was being honest, with the four tall towers in each corner and the tall walls. He made his way up one of the towers, step by step. There were a few Rune Knights dressed in their typical white robes, but they paid him no attention as he continued. There were a few thin slits that served as windows in the tower, and when he peeked through them, he could see the top of the forest or the roofs of the houses below.

When he reached the top, he was met with a large few of the world around him. It was nothing like looking out from his room in the Council Headquarters, or riding on Igneel, but it still brought him the same sense of peace that he had always felt from being high up.

He lost track of how long he had been up there, spending most of the time staring at the clouds above or at the Rune Knights that were patrolling around the building. When he sat back up, his back ached and he stood up to stretch. The path back down the tower was silent, and soon enough, he was back on the ground floor. The doors of the meeting hall were still closed, and he knew that he should probably go back to waiting beside them, but quickly decided against it and continued wandering through the building.

The hallways were rather empty here. While there had been plenty of Rune Knights patrolling the outside grounds, or near the front gates, it seemed that they thought the inside was unneeded with the presence of the Guild Masters being so close. Natsu didn't mind, after all, it just allowed him more freedom to explore.

Eventually, he found himself stepping through a thin door and into what seemed to be the kitchen. His mouth began to water at some of the delicious smells that were radiating from the cooking food, as well as the pastries that were sitting atop the counter. He glanced around, looking to see if anyone was around before popping one into his mouth. He chewed slowly, savoring the sweet, doughy treat, before a voice knocked him from his thoughts.

It was coming from the hallway he had just been in, so he quickly ran through another door. This one led to a large room, with a grand table surrounded by chairs in the middle. A dining room, Yajima had called it. The old man had taken him a few times to eat with some of the other council members, and they had always eaten in one. He still preferred eating in his room, like he had done in the caves back with Igneel, but the nice thing about it was that there were always people bringing him food.

The voices continued but remained in the kitchen. That must've been the chefs returning, and he winced when one of their voices grew louder. They must've found the pastry that he had taken.

Natsu strode through the dining room, making his way to a set of grand double doors on the far end of the wall. They were probably the primary way to enter the dining hall, whereas he had stepped through the door to the kitchen. Glancing around, he couldn't find any other possible way to escape, so he sighed. He could only hope that there was no one waiting outside that would hear him.

He placed his hand on the smooth door handle, gently tugging it backwards as he stuck his head slightly out into the hallway to listen. There was nothing at first, before he froze at the sound of many people talking. They were rather loud, all speaking in jesting tones as the jostled each other around. He didn't recognize many of the voices, but after a moment someone finally spoke that he recognized.

"You all must be out of your minds, especially you, Jose," Master Makarov said, his words slurred. Natsu only knew one other person with the name Jose, the current Master of Phantom Lord. During a few of their brief visits to Magnolia, Natsu had overhead Yajima and Master Makarov discussing the guild a few times. He listened in as Master Makarov continued, "Fairy Tail easily has the strongest mages around. You should see my children in action. The amount of quests that they complete are second to none!"

A few of the other guild masters shouted out in argument, all stating that their respective guilds were just as strong. Many of them took another swig of their drinks, and it didn't take long for the powerful scent of alcohol to hit Natsu. He had to push himself back into the dining hall for a moment in order to catch his breath.

The rest of the guild masters fell silent once another voice rose, and from the tone of their voice, Natsu knew that it must've been Master Jose. "You call Fairy Tail the best guild in Fiore, yet you fail to recognize everything Phantom Lord accomplishes. Our S-Class mages are some of the most powerful in the entire country, and it's about time you recognize that Fairy Tail isn't the strongest guild."

"Hah, I would love to see any of your S-Class mages try to compete against any of mine," Master Makarov retaliated. Natsu could imagine the taunting look on the man's face as the rest of the guild masters laughed. "There is no one that they can't compete with! Gildarts himself has been asked to become a Wizard Saint multiple times!"

There was a sudden increase in magical pressure, and Natsu began to sweat slightly. "If anything, I would be tempted to call your mages completely incompetent, Makarov. After all, Fairy Tail has gained quite the reputation in regards to the destruction that they cause around the land. It's only a matter of time before The Council themselves steps in to finally put an end to your pathetic guild."

All the guild masters quickly fell silent at that, and Natsu was sure that they felt the increased tension between the two as well. The silence between the two continued even as neither of them spoke, but the increased magical pressure remained the same. Natsu began to sweat, furiously rubbing at the drops that slid down his forehead.

"If you have nothing left to say, then I shall take my leave," Jose said. "It's pathetic just staring down at you while you flounder about drunkenly. With you as their leader, it's no wonder how the rest of your guild became the way they are."

Jose had just finished speaking when there was a sudden burst of light, followed by the sound of something crashing against the wall. The floor itself shook from the intensity and Natsu desperately clutched the door-frame to keep himself upright. Suddenly, all the guild masters were yelling, and Natsu slowly peeked out into the hallway, his curiosity overpowering the knowledge that he should stay hidden.

Master Makarov stood over the fallen form of Jose, his enlarged fist desperately trying to reach out to the fallen man but was being held back by many of the other masters. The remnants of his magic still lingered in the form of a faint golden glow, glowing as bright as ever. Jose's tall hat had been thrown off in the process, and now lay near the door that Natsu hid behind. There was a visible shake in Jose's body as he shot back to his feet, leering over Master Makarov as he began to summon his magic. The other masters quickly rushed to put a stop to him, throwing up shields or other wards in a desperate attempt to block the man's attack. Natsu's eyes fell to the small trickle of blood that slid down the side of his face.

"You dare—" Jose was interrupted by the shouts of the guild masters. Already, Natsu could see more Rune Knights rushing down the hallway. Jose glanced down the hallway briefly, before turning and eyeing the rest of the masters warily. When he turned back to Master Makarov, his voice was laden with venom, and barely more than a hiss.

"Fairy Tail will pay for this."

With that, Jose took off, running down the hallway, leaving his hat behind. Master Makarov watched him disappear, while the rest of the masters all sighed in relief as they dissipated their magic. Natsu hadn't been able to recognize the expression on the older Guild Master's face, but he continued his drunken tirade, nonetheless. The Rune Knights finally appeared around the corner, rushing up to the masters to make sure that everything was alright. Natsu had half expected Jura to be with the group, but the bald man was nowhere to be found.

The guild masters exchanged a few words, with Master Makarov explaining the events in detail. Natsu paid little attention to that, staring at the hat instead. He didn't realize just how long he must've been watching it for, as before he knew it, the guild masters were already leaving back the way they came. A few were trying to calm Makarov down, but nothing could calm the raging man. He was about to turn back into the dining room to leave the way he came but was quickly stopped by Jura stepping in front of the door. Natsu shot up straight, accidentally hitting the door and pushing it wide open.

"Natsu," Jura said, watching him with wide eyes. The bald man bent over and picked up the hat before tucking it under one arm. "I thought I told you to stay at the front. You're not supposed to be here."

"I'm sorry!" Natsu exclaimed. He stepped out into the hallway, eyes falling to the floor. "It was just really boring, and I wanted to explore! I didn't mean to see all the guild masters like that, I swear!"

Jura simply watched him quietly, tapping his foot on the ground. He remained silent for a few moments, watching him with that scrutinizing glare. When he finally spoke, Natsu was started.

"You saw everything, didn't you?"

Natsu could only nod.

Jura took a small step closer. In a moment like this, the intense presence that the man gave off was more glaring than ever, constantly reminding Natsu of the different in their strength. There was something otherworldly about the man.

"I suppose that there's nothing we can do about that," Jura continued. He glanced at the hat under his arm again. "However, I would ask that you keep this bit of information to yourself, at least until I can have a few words with Yajima."

It only took a few moments for Natsu to pick up the hidden message in the man's words and immediately nodded. Jura watched him for a few more moments before nodding himself, seemingly satisfied. "Good."

Jura began strolling away, waving Natsu towards him. The dragon slayer fell in step beside him, wishing that there was something he could to do ensure that the man was not upset with him. They had just met each other only recently, and he didn't want the man to dislike him. Yet, Jura's words rang through his mind, and he couldn't get the scene that he had just witnessed with the guild masters out of his mind. As they stepped through the front doors of the meeting hall, and back into Clover Town, there was only one thing that Natsu knew for sure.

He had just seen something that he _really _shouldn't have.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed!**

**I'm excited to finally get moving into the story. I can't wait to write out some of the later arcs!**

**Thanks for the follows, favorites, and reviews(Awareness Bringer, Amanny, DragneelHarem, rustydsrkness)!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**Year 778 – Natsu Age 11**

One month later, Natsu still found himself pondering over the fight he had witnessed during the Guild Master's meeting.

He was in the training yard, running laps around the open pavilion with the other recruits. The training space was a large open field near the base of the large castle that had been filled with dirt for cushioning. There were a couple of smaller practice yards located to the side, which were used for smaller groups.

Most of the other young recruits quickly tired after only a few laps, but he found that he could go for many more before his body began to ache. As a result, he often found himself standing around while the others rested. It was incredibly boring, and so his mind often wandered. It just so happened that he thought back to that day often.

The Council had heard about it as soon as they had gotten back, and he even remembered listening as the chairman reprimanded Jura for allowing the fight to happen. He remembered feeling upset at the time, wishing that he had done something to prevent the master's from breaking out into the brawl. But later, Yajima had explained that there was nothing that he could've done.

"Fairy Tail and Phantom Lord have been growing more hostile to each other over the past few years," Yajima had said. Natsu had been sitting alone in his room at the time, on the edge of his bed. "It was only a matter of time before something erupted between the pair."

"What will happen now?"

Yajima looked thoughtful at the question, taking a moment to think before answering the question. "That's for the council to handle, but I would assume that we wait to see what Makarov and Jose say themselves. The chairman has already spoken about reprimanding the two and demanding that they make peace with each other."

"I don't think I like the guilds very much," Natsu said. He pulled his knees up against his chest. "I'm happy that I came here with you, instead of Fairy Tail."

Yajima watched him with wide eyes, before a small smile stretched across his face. He reached a short arm out and rested his hand on Natsu's shoulder. "I'm happy as well, my boy. You will go far here. I know it. And hopefully one day, you will be able to see your father once again."

Ever since that day, he had seen Yajima less and less. The Council was always busy with a new project or issue, and each of the members were often sent out to the many towns around Fiore to ensure that their orders were being followed. But when he did return, he made sure to spend as much time with Natsu as possible.

He did miss speaking with the older man, and often, he remained isolated whenever he was gone—the pain that he had felt from Igneel's disappearance returning in full during those times. It would never last for long, though, as he would soon be pre-occupied with training once more, similarly to how he was now.

While he didn't mind the normal training with the rest of the recruits, he always found himself desperately awaiting the days where Jura came to train him privately. Most of the other Rune Knights didn't have any magic, so he was never allowed to use his own when with them. But with Jura, he could use his magic however he wished.

"Halt!" Natsu was knocked from his musings when the instructor called out. The recruits all rushed to line up in the center of the field. The white-robed man looked over the lines with a scrutinizing gaze, although his gaze did linger on Natsu for many of the others. "That's enough for the day, go get some rest."

They dispersed, many of the recruits chatting about how they planned to spend the day. Natsu didn't have any real plans, so he supposed that he would just go take a nap, but before he could get too far, the instructor called out to him. "Dragneel!"

He turned to face the man, who only glared down at him. It was something that Natsu had gotten used to after a while. He was sure that he had never even seen the instructor smile. Natsu stood straight, raising his arm in a salute. He thought the salute to be ridiculous, but it was something that they had enforced upon him from the first day, and Yajima had asked him to follow the rule, so he didn't question it.

"Wizard Saint Jura has requested to meet with you in practice yard three. You're to head over there immediately and attend to what he needs."

Natsu couldn't help the smile that immediately broke out upon his face. He nodded to the instructor before taking off down the yard, shoving other trainees out of the way. The instructor yelled out to get him to slow down, but Natsu paid the man no heed. It had been nearly a week since he had last trained his magic, and he couldn't wait.

The yard that Jura awaited him in was adjacent to the one that he had been training in before, so it only took him but a few minutes to arrive. He immediately spotted the bald man standing in the center of the yard, raising and lowering the earth as he practiced his magic. Natsu skidded to a halt, mesmerized as he watched. There was something amazing about watching the Wizard Saint train; just knowing that he was so much stronger. It reminded him of how he had always felt around Igneel, and the desire to grow stronger burned hotter than ever.

He made to take a step into the yard, but a quiet cough made him halt. His face fell, and he turned around to meet the cold gaze of Ultear. The other trainees in his class all feared the old instructor and his heated gaze, but in truth, Natsu had always found the man's glares to be nothing in comparison to the young girl in front of him. And unfortunately, he had been on the receiving end of hers way too often.

"Hey, Ultear," he began. His gaze flicked over to Jura, who seemingly took no notice of her arrival before turning back. He bowed his head lightly. "What's up?"

She didn't reply. He always thought that she acted a bit weird, but she would typically dismiss him or send him off to after giving him a command. He didn't mind completing the tasks, but the way she would talk down to him always drove him crazy to no end. But according to Yajima and Jura, he was always forced to listen because she was a higher rank than himself. Yajima had even said before that if she kept improving at the pace she was, then she would likely be a candidate for the council in a few years.

The thought made him shiver. He couldn't imagine someone such as Ultear having that much power.

"Natsu," she eventually spoke, her voice hard. There was always a tone of finality to her words, as if she always dared another person to refute them. "I've been looking for you."

He perked up at those words, for she had never said anything similar before. "What do you want?"

She fell silent again, making him rub the back of his head unsurely. While dressed in the white robes just like himself, there was an additional stripe on the shoulder of her right arm, symbolizing her rank above him. For a moment, he worried that she was going to send him off to complete some other random task.

"You learned your magic from a dragon, correct?"

Natsu nodded. "Yeah, what about it?"

"When was the last time you were with the dragon?"

"I don't know…around a year ago, I guess," he replied. Natsu hated thinking about the day his father had gone missing.

"Interesting…"

Natsu simply sighed. There she was acting weird again, always talking to him as if she is trying to examine him. He was about ready to turn back and walk to Jura when she placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.

"Do you think," she paused, and her eyes flicked to the ground. To his surprise, she looked…unsure of herself. But after a moment, it was gone, and the cold expression overtook her features once more. "Do you think you could tell me more about it sometime?"

"I guess so." Natsu shrugged. "About what? Igneel or my dragon slaying magic?"

"Both."

He rubbed the back of his head. He wasn't sure that he really wanted to spend anymore time than necessary around the girl, but if it ever got her to open up and get rid of her coldness around him, then he guessed that it couldn't hurt. He smiled lightly. "Sure thing!"

"Good." She straightened herself, flattening out her robes. "I'll come to you in your room tomorrow at midday. Make sure you are ready."

With that, she was gone, and he was left pondering over their conversation—or confrontation, rather. He slumped in relief as he watched her disappear around the corner, her long hair swaying behind her. He still didn't know what was up with her, but maybe he'd be able to learn more about her when they talked. Plus, he was always excited to talk about his dragon slaying magic!

"That was Ultear, wasn't it?"

Natsu jumped at the sound of Jura's voice. He whipped around, looking high to meet Jura. There was sweat dripping from his bald forehead, and yet, he had an easy smile dancing around his lips.

"It was," Natsu replied. He couldn't hold himself back from glancing down the hall where she had departed, worried that she might appear once again. Jura let out a small laugh, clapping Natsu on the shoulder and pulling him into the training yard.

"It's good that you become friends with her, Natsu. There aren't many other recruits your age training to become Rune Knights that can use magic. Perhaps you two might learn something from one another."

Natsu nodded but didn't believe the man's words. He couldn't see Ultear _ever _sitting down to teach him something.

"That's besides the point, however," Jura continued. They had reached the center of the yard, where the earth lay upturned and disheveled. Natsu had to be careful with his steps, else he trip over a loose chunk of earth or the jagged remains of a rock. Jura was unaffected and moved swiftly through the field until he reached the center. With a wave of his hand, he brought forth a small bench made of earth and took a seat upon it, closing his eyes.

Natsu watched the man awkwardly, unsure of what to do. Typically, when he arrived to practice his magic, Jura would immediately have him whip out his fire and demonstrate what he could do. It was always fun to try to hit the earth targets that Jura would launch up into the air for him with his Fire Dragon's Roar.

Instead, Jura opened his eyes once more and patted the empty spot on the seat beside him. Natsu hurried over and plopped down. Part of him wanted to begin training already, but he always loved listening to any advice that Jura may give. It always made him stronger in the end and reminded him of the praise that Igneel would give him whenever he was finally able to accomplish one of their goals.

"It's important to meditate occasionally, Natsu. To just close your eyes and let your body relax."

Natsu blinked. "Meditate? But that sounds super boring…"

Jura chuckled. "Yes, some may find it so, but I assure you that it is nothing but beneficial. As a mage, both of us are constantly on the move, pushing our bodies to the limit as we try to improve our magical capabilities. Meditation allows for our body to rest and recharge for the next time that we need to utilize our magic."

Natsu's brought his hand to rest under his chin, thinking. "So, it's like when Igneel would always go to rest in his cave after he brought home food. He needed to rest?"

"Well, I couldn't speak for your father, but I would assume that it's a similar idea."

"Awesome! If Igneel did it, then I will do it too!"

Jura chuckled, finally standing up from the bench. "Alright, then. I will expect you to try every so often, but for now, let's begin training, shall we?"

Natsu jumped up from the bench, already igniting his hands. He let out a shout, but soon noticed a small figure entering the yard, his old wooden cane clacking against the rock.

"Yajima!"

Jura was quickly forgotten as Natsu rushed over to the old man. Jura shouted out a few choice words behind him, but they were lost on deaf ears. Yajima smiled at Natsu as he came to a stop in front of him, pointing his cane at his hands.

"Make sure you put out that fire before you come any closer. I don't need to lose any more of my hair."

Natsu shook his hands and quelled the flames. "Why are you here? I thought you would be gone for two more weeks!"

Yajima's face fell at that, and his stark-white eyebrows crinkled together. His finger tapped on the top of the cane repeatedly. "The council requested that I return, I have been assigned a new task."

"What it is?! Are you going to fight some monsters?!" Natsu's expression lit up at the thought. He had been begging Yajima to let him go on a monster-fighting quest for months now, but the man always shut him down immediately every time.

"Of course not. Will you ever forget that foolish notion?" Yajima replied. "Although this time you shall be departing with me."

"Awesome! I've been dying for another mission! Where will we be going?!"

Yajima stared at him for a moment, before sighing. "We shall be departing for Fairy Tail in three days' time. The council has a few messages that they would like passed along in person."

Natsu's heart fell, but he nodded anyhow.

"I know you don't like the guilds much, Natsu, but this'll be good for you. You might even make a friend or two."

Natsu simply nodded again, already turning back to Jura. He hated responding to Yajima in this way, but he couldn't help it. Plus, from what he had seen at the Guild Master's meeting, he doubted that he would be making any friends, especially if they acted like their master.

With slumped shoulders, he accepted the fact that he had to go. It was the duty of a Rune Knight to complete the missions assigned to them, after all.

However, it didn't mean that he'd have to enjoy it.

* * *

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	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Ultear placed the communication lacrima back in her chest, frowning.

Her room was a small thing, tucked at the end of one of the long dormitory halls. It was barely large enough to fit more than her bed, a small dresser, and table. There wasn't even a window here. It left her wishing for her life back with Grimoire Heart but suffering in this small space was part of her mission, and she wouldn't fail.

She stood up, brushing away the dirt that had gathered on her robes. They were terribly stuffy and being forced to wear them annoyed her to no end. These clearly weren't designed with the intention for mages to wear them. She longed for the day where she could wear her own clothing once more and feel the freedom that it allowed her magic.

But she shook those thoughts away. There was no sense in thinking such things. It would only serve to make her more miserable.

Ultear left the room, shutting and locking the door behind her. The halls were bustling with other recruits, all a similar rank as her. She was thankful for that at least. She couldn't imagine having to be stuck living next to other lesser recruits like Natsu.

There were a few people that offered her a small greeting, but she ignored them all. The dragon slayer was a bit of an enigma. She had been training here for nearly two years thus far, appealing to the council's needs in any way she could. It was all for her goal of eventually getting a seat on the council, then she would have true power and influence.

Then Natsu had arrived, uncaring and destroying everything in his path. She remembered their first encounter over a year ago now—him standing during his destroyed room, acting like a fool. He had been lucky that she had been there, else he probably would've been expelled on the first day.

She turned at the end of the hallway, descending a flight of stairs. From the layout of the castle, each dormitory was stacked on top of one another, and each ran for several hallways on each floor. The higher up you went, the higher the status of the people living there. She was around the middle now; not low enough to be considered a typical recruit, but also not high enough to hold any true powers.

That would change soon.

_Attain power. At any cost._

Ultear blinked. Master Hades would often request updates from her, but ever since he had heard about the dragon slayer joining the council, he had been more demanding than ever. He was requesting to speak with her nearly every week now, where before months could pass in between their communications. It annoyed her. _She _used to be the one to capture all of Hades' attention, but now it was all focused on that unruly child.

It had been him that requested that she ask Natsu to speak, and as much as she might have hated doing so, she didn't really have much of a choice. She wouldn't dare upsetting him, especially since he had been the one to give her everything that she had now…even after everyone else had abandoned her.

She entered the second-floor hallway, striding over to Natsu's door before knocking on the door. There was a shuffling from the inside before the door was flung open. Natsu stood there, panting. His clothes were torn, flames light with a crackling fire, and a room full of destroyed objects filling the room behind him. She swore that she even saw a few scorch marks leading towards the window.

Ultear sighed. "We need to stop meeting like this."

Natsu laughed, rubbing the back of his head. He stepped aside, allowing for her to enter the room. She kicked a broken piece of wood, grimacing as it practically fell apart in a heap of ash. Surprisingly, there was a single, untouched chair directly in the center of the room, which she promptly took a seat on.

"Hey, Ultear…" Natsu began. He looked so unsure of himself. It probably didn't help that this was the second time that she had walked in on him in such a state. "I hadn't actually expected you to come. I thought you were joking."

Ultear cocked an eyebrow. "Do you think me to be the type of person to make jokes?"

"Err…no."

Natsu shut the door, striding over to the window before peaking outside. He was a curious little thing—she'd give him that at least. He wasn't like the rest of these recruits, just following commands and acting like they were a part of some grand army. Natsu could at least think individually and seemed to have more energy and passion than the rest of his class combined.

That was something to respect, she supposed.

"So…uh…how are you?" Natsu's voice got higher in pitch towards the end.

"I'm fine. Would you like to explain why I found you in the middle of a destroyed room _again_?"

Natsu laughed, before taking a seat on the floor and leaning back against the wall. Ultear frowned. He laughed. This nonchalant attitude would get him killed some day. _That _she knew for sure.

"Well, you see…" Natsu said. "In practice yesterday, Jura told me that I should try meditating some time. He said that it was supposed to help build up your magic, or something…I'm not sure. But he said that it would make me stronger, so that means I have to try it!"

Ultear took a pointed look around the room. She supposed that she couldn't have truly expected anything less from him. "You call this meditating?"

"Well…" There he goes again, rubbing the back of his head. It must be a habit of his. "I tried sitting still at first—just like Jura did! But then I wanted to fight, and so I started training on the rest of the furniture!"

Ultear just shook her head. "That's the opposite of meditating."

He slumped down, resting his chin on his fist. He grumbled to himself, absentmindedly igniting then reigniting his fist. The flames would wash over his face, yet it didn't seem to affect him at all. She found herself curious. What type of flames was he resistant too? Could it be possible that he'd be immune to Zancrow's black flames too?

Suddenly, Master Hades' insistence made sense. She _truly _had been foolish to question why he had wanted to know more. Natsu could be an asset to Grimoire Heart. Could it be possible for her to convince him to join? She wasn't sure. He had shown immense loyalty to Yajima, so that would be a problem, and it would also be problematic if Jura were to start filling his head with all the apparent wonders that the legal guilds had to offer. However, she knew that if she was to start convincing him, then she would have to grow closer, which would only mean one thing…

She'd have to become _friends_ with him.

Ultear frowned at the thought. She didn't even consider the other guildmembers of Grimoire Heart to be her friends. They all stuck to their own devices, accomplishing whatever goals and tasks Master Hades may have laid out for them. In a dark guild, it didn't make sense to grow loyal to your comrades, not when many of them were likely to betray you at the first opportunity.

And so, she sighed, before putting on what she hoped to be a friendly smile—although it felt more a grimace upon her face. Apparently, Natsu had been chatting to her the entire time, but having been too embroiled in her thoughts, she'd missed it. She cursed herself for being too careless.

"What was that Ultear?"

She did her best to keep the smile. It was still annoying hearing her name come out of his mouth. "Nothing, nothing. So, tell me, have you ever tried testing to see if you are immune to other types of fire magic?"

Natsu jumped to his feet. "There are other types of fire?! Where are they?"

"There are a few renowned fire mages throughout Fiore. However, most associate themselves with a guild, so you'd have to visit one if you were to ever meet them."

"Oh," Natsu said. His shoulders slumped at the mention of the guilds. That was another curious factor about him.

"If I may ask," Ultear began. "What issues do you have with the guilds? I would think that someone like you would dream of being in one."

Natsu shrugged. "I dunno. There is something about them that just seems off. Like there's always something weird about them, you know?"

Ultear remembered the times where she would find Master Hades slaving away over his research of the origins of magic. She had found herself intrigued by his personal goal, but he had always pushed her away. From what she had seen, she knew that it had something to do with Fairy Tail, but she just couldn't figure out what. But there had been one thing that had always been clear, and that was the fact that guilds like Fairy Tail always had something to hide. At least with Grimoire Heart and the council, they were open and transparent about their goals.

"I guess," Ultear replied. "Although, I suppose that you'd just have to trust the members of each guild. Similarly, to how you trust everyone here at the council."

"I suppose so." Natsu chuckled. "Hey, wouldn't it have been weird if someone like Master Makarov found me in that forest instead of Yajima?"

"Perhaps. Although, that would probably mean that you'd be a member of Fairy Tail by now."

"That's true." He tapped a finger against his cheek. "It's a good thing that he didn't, then!"

That was a fair statement at least. Ultear knew that Master Hades wouldn't have been happy to have learned that Makarov had gained another guildmember in the form of a dragon slayer. He was always on the search for more lost magics, just like the powers that he had granted his own members. She could feel the power of her Arc of Time magic still churning within her, always competing against her Ice-Make magic.

Although, she hadn't used her Ice-Make magic in years. Perhaps that was why she had been more tempted to use it as of late.

"So, Ultear? Do you think that you could fix my room for me?"

She sighed. "I suppose so."

She raised a hand, summoning her Arc of Time magic. It rose like a tempest within her and she slowly began fixing the room around her. Her eye grew red, where within she could see an image of the state that the room had been in just this morning. She molded the objects, slowly turning them back into the image as she saw it. Just like before, Natsu stood off to the side, a faint light emanating from him.

Every time she saw him, she had always checked to make sure that it was still there. It was what had interested her at first and led her to speaking to Master Hades about her discovery. There was something off about him, but she just couldn't tell what. But her magic seemed to act oddly around him, and no matter what she tried, she couldn't pear into that light, like something more powerful than herself was blocking her.

The last of the furniture settled down, and Ultear lowered her hand, allowing for the glow in her eye to fade away. Natsu cheered, running over to his reconstructed bed and flopping himself down on top of it. It was a foolish action, and one that was more beholden to a child than a Rune Knight trainee.

"Thanks, Ultear! You're the best!"

Ultear started, before facing Natsu again. "T—Thank you."

Natsu sat back up, staring at her intently. "So…was there anything else that you wanted to ask me about? There's more to my magic than just fire, you know."

"Yes." She regathered her composure, straightening her back. "Although, from what I've seen, I wonder if it would be better to see these things in action, rather than discussing it."

She could've sworn that Natsu's eyes lit up that that. He rushed over to her, nearly jumping up and down in excitement. "Really?! Will you train with me?! I've been wanting to fight against your magic for—"

Ultear stopped him by raising her hand. "I have a simpler solution. One that won't require such…brutality."

"Oh?" Natsu tilted his head. "What's that?"

"Councilman Yajima stated that you would join him on his journey to Fairy Tail," Ultear said. She watched as some of his excitement faded away. He truly didn't like the guilds. "I will join you, and perhaps then we shall be able to get some answers about your magic."

Natsu hesitated, before nodding. "I can ask Yajima if you could join us."

Ultear nodded her assent, before making her way out into the hallway without another word. Natsu yelled out a farewell behind her. She hoped that she would find answers about that light around Natsu, and what exactly that meant. And while she really had no business travelling to any guild, perhaps the journey would allow her to find answers towards another question that she had. This time, about her own past.

* * *

**Thanks for reading!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Natsu stood in the forest outside of Magnolia, looking through the trees and foliage in wonder. He couldn't believe that is had been a year since Yajima had found him here, desperately trying to find Igneel. And as he stood, dressed in the white robes of a Rune Knight recruit, he couldn't imagine his life having gone any different.

Yajima had told them that they could take the train directly into town, but often preferred the long route through the forest. He had mentioned something about taking in all the sights, but Natsu had a feeling that it helped the older man feel younger and more lively, especially since he is cooped up with the Council for the majority of most days.

"Natsu!" Yajima called from ahead, waving his cane in the air. "Let's go!"

"Coming!"

He rushed to catch up, jumping over a fallen log. Ultear walked beside Yajima, dressed in her robes as well, although hers had a single stripe on the shoulder. It was an aspect of her outfit that she liked to flaunt to no end.

"How do expect to every be promoted if you keep fooling around," Ultear asked him.

He laced his fingers behind his head, grinning at her as they kept moving. "I dunno. I suppose that it'll just happen eventually!"

She shook her head, remaining silent. He still wasn't entirely sure what was up with her yet. For the first day of the trip, she was rather cool. They would talk about Igneel and his magic, and she even had him demonstrate a few spells for him. But ever since then, she had been back to her cold, distant self. Part of him wondered if it was the rank in the Rune Knights that she held. If so, he wasn't sure that he would want it.

"Natsu, listen here," Yajima said. They broke through the edge of the forest, approaching the edge of the town. The Fairy Tail guild hall rose up in the distance, towering over the rest of the buildings. Natsu glanced at Ultear, noticing a frown stretching across her face. He had tried to speak to her about some guilds that she might have visited, but she had remained tight-lipped the entire time. She wouldn't even tell him if she had visited _any_.

"I want you to remember that we are on a mission directly from the council. That means no fooling around, and no getting into any trouble."

"What do you mean?" Natsu exclaimed, he punched the air in front of him, a small burst of flame erupting from his hand. "I never cause any trouble."

"Mhmm…" Yajima didn't look convinced, and Natsu chuckled sheepishly. "Remember the last time? You must've gotten into five different fights with that Gray fellow. All for ridiculous reasons if I remember correctly."

"He was annoying, though! And he wouldn't stop calling me stupid names and stripping all the time!"

"That's still no excuse to cause a fight, Natsu."

"Hmmph." Natsu crossed his arms across his chest, looking forward. He would try his best to not start anything, but if Gray or anyone else tried to start a fight while they were there, then he wouldn't let them get away with it.

The streets of Magnolia were packed with people browsing through the different stores and stalls. It was an entirely different atmosphere from city of Era. There, people would keep to themselves, rarely interacting with one another and only travelled through the streets to go about their business. But here, the people laughed and played with each other, filling the air with a lively chatter.

Natsu supposed that this was one of the good parts about visiting Fairy Tail.

They passed through the town, Yajima and Natsu waving at a bunch of different people. A child even ran up at one point, asking if they had any magic. Natsu laughed, placing his hands on his hips and blew out a small spire of fire into the air. The child laughed, before turning to Ultear and asking the same. She fixed the child with a glare, before turning away and pointedly ignoring anyone who sent a curious glance their way.

"You could be a little bit nicer to them, Ultear," Natsu said as they approached the guildhall. They passed the team of Levy, Jet, and Droy, and waved to them all. "They are just curious about your magic."

"It's below me to entertain them like some sort of common actor. On top of that, it's simply a waste of time."

Natsu frowned, before turning as the Yajima began to slowly push the doors open. The chaos inside the guild hit them like at tidal wave, and Natsu was immediately forced to duck as a chair flew over his head. Ultear simply raised her hand, stopping a glass in mid-air.

"Flame-brain!"

Natsu had barely anytime to react before Gray was barreling into him, throwing a wild punch towards his cheek. He barely managed to duck in time, before igniting his fist and sending one straight back at the chest of the ice-user. They scrambled, Natsu attempting to grab onto any piece of Gray that he could, scratching and pulling as hard as possible.

"Ice princess! Let me go!"

"Why did you bring your lazy face back here, huh?! Go back to the council where you belong!"

"Why you—"

Suddenly, the two were ripped away from each other, being held up in the air by their collars. He looked up, noticing the enlarged limbs that had grabbed him from across the guild. Natsu hmphed, crossing his arms across his chest, while Gray did the same.

"That's enough you two. Settle down."

"He started it!" they both yelled at the same time, pointing at each other. Natsu heard Yajima sigh, and suddenly felt guilty as he remembered what the older man had said to him earlier. It wasn't his fault though! Gray was the one who always started it!

Master Makarov set them back down on the ground before turning back to the rest of the rambunctious guild, screaming orders to get them to calm down. Natsu fixed Gray with a glare, but the ice mage paid him little attention, turning to his other companions.

"I don't know how you put up with him," Gray said, looking to Ultear. "He's insufferable."

Natsu's protest was ignored as Ultear straightened, fixing Gray with an icy glare. It was more frightening than anything he had ever seen from her before, and even Gray took a slight step back. Yajima's eyebrows furrowed, and raised a hand to place on her shoulder, but was swiftly brushed aside. Natsu only watched in confusion as she turned and stormed back towards the town.

"Man, what's with the all you weirdos in the Council," Gray said, shaking his head before stalking off, disappearing to who knows where.

Natsu just rubbed the back of his head, facing Yajima sheepishly.

"Sorry," he muttered.

Yajima just laughed softly. "I suppose I can't really expect anything else, Natsu. It's just the nature of Fairy Tail, after all." He glanced back in the direction where Ultear had left. "I hope she's alright. Visiting guilds puts a certain strain on her."

Natsu followed his gaze. She had seemed different during their journey here, but he hadn't been able to figure out why. Perhaps Yajima knew why she was acting so different? But if he did, then why would she keep acting so cold towards the older man too? Natsu shook his head, completely lost when it came to the mystery of Ultear. At this rate, he wasn't sure that she'd ever start making sense.

"You got that right!" Master Makarov boomed out, appearing in the doorway again. He had a bottle of alcohol in hand, and he took another sip. "We don't settle for anything less here. It brings us all together!"

Natsu wasn't sure if he believed that, but he didn't bother questioning the old man. The master took another swig of his drink, and Natsu thought back to the guild master's meeting, where Makarov got into a fight with Jose from Phantom Lord. It would seem that Master Makarov hadn't really learned from his mistake back then, and it simply served to reassure his distaste for the leader.

"Come, Yajima, it's been too long, old friend," Master Makarov called out, beckoning Yajima over. "We can go discuss these things in my office."

Yajima nodded, facing Natsu. "We'll be finished in a little bit, Natsu. Don't do anything dangerous." He glanced around for a second, eyebrows furrowed. "Perhaps you can figure out where Ultear has run off too. I'm sure that she could use a friend right now."

Natsu straightened up, saluting Yajima, although he wasn't sure that Ultear would ever consider him a friend. Makarov watched him with a critical eye, before turning and leading Yajima up the stairs. Apparently, the second floor was only for S-Class mages, which is why the entire thing seemed empty except for a single person. He had blond hair, and a scar going down the side of his face in the shape of a lightning bolt.

Laxus Dreyar.

He had met the lightning mage during one of his earlier trips to the guild, and Natsu had immediately disliked him, even more so than his grandfather. He had an ego unlike any that Natsu had seen before, and even though he was strong—way stronger than himself, Natsu would begrudgingly admit—he had no desire to learn from the S-Class mage. It was the opposite of Jura, who would always show compassion and kindness, and use his magic to do good. Laxus would only use his magic to hurt.

Natsu turned away, sniffing. There was no reason to get caught up on Laxus when he should be trying to find Ultear. It took him a few attempts, before catching on to a trail. He rushed back through the door, ignoring a greeting from a Fairy Tail member named Lisanna and making his way back through the town. He turned off the main road, heading to the edge of forest that was on the side of the town. It was less dense, covered in hills with plenty of open fields that allowed him to get a great view of the sky.

The wind washed over him, tousling his hair and clothes. While he loved training with the Rune Knights and Jura, he still missed the days of living out in the wild with Igneel, always unsure of what the next day would bring. It was a feeling that he hadn't felt since the day his father had left, and it was one that he missed desperately.

He would find Igneel one day, he reassured. No matter what.

He continued travelling through the hills, weaving between trees. The earth was decorated in many different types of flowers, and he spotted more than a few different creatures watching him as he continued. Igneel used to make him hunt them when he was younger, but as he spotted a tiny white rabbit watching him with beady eyes, he found himself happy that he didn't have to anymore.

Natsu sniffed the air again, before turning and moving forward in Ultear's direction. It didn't take much longer for him to spot her, standing amidst the forest atop one of the smaller hills, leaning against one of the trees. She seemed to be speaking, although in a hushed tone that even Natsu couldn't hear. There was a funny looking stone laying at her feet. Perhaps she was looking at that? He walked up to her and tapped on her shoulder.

"Hey, Ultear!"

She jumped at his touch, whirling around and quickly tucking something into her pocket. He raised an eyebrow. She watched him with dark, wide eyes before settling down when she realized that it was him.

"What were you doing?" he asked.

Ultear fumbled over her words, making Natsu hesitate once again. She took a moment to gather herself and glanced at the forest around them before her eyes settled on the stone by her feet.

"I was," she cleared her throat. Her cheeks were bright red. Natsu had never seen her look this way before, and he had to fight against the urge to tease her. "Inspecting this egg."

"Egg?" he questioned, following her gaze. Now that he got a better view, he supposed that it did look like an egg. It had a dark blue pattern on the side, looking like a bunch of flames. His eyes lit up. "It's an egg!"

He pushed passed her, ignoring her indignant shout before picking up the egg. Natsu held it up in front of his face, inspecting the lines. He had never seen anything like it before, but a giant egg like this, with flames decorated on the side could only mean one thing.

"It's a dragon egg!" he exclaimed! He turned it towards Ultear, who seemed to have fixed a frown upon her face once more. "It has to be!"

"A dragon egg?" She didn't sound like she believed it, yet she took a step closer, nonetheless. "What makes you so sure about that?"

"Look at the pattern! It's flames, like mine! It must be a fire dragon!"

Ultear frowned, still clearly disbelieving. Natsu huffed, pulling it tight against his chest. "It's fine if you don't want to believe me, but when I hatch a dragon, you're going to be completely jealous."

"You? Hatch a dragon?"

"Yes, me! I'm a dragon slayer and my father _was_ a dragon! I'm the only one that can!"

She crossed her arms across her chest, looking far older than she was. He looked at the egg, running his fingers across the pattern. Eventually, he heard Ultear sigh, turning away.

"Fine, I guess I will allow it."

Natsu looked up, irritated. "I didn't need your permission in the first place!"

She whirled upon him, making him stumble back a few steps. He gripped the egg even tighter, making sure it didn't slip from his grasp.

"Actually," Ultear said. "Recruits aren't allowed to have pets with them. But someone like me, with my rank, can."

Natsu balked. "But…that's not fair!"

"It's the rules," Ultear shrugged. "So, if you want to bring it back to Era and hatch your…dragon…then you're going to need me."

"What if I asked Yajima? He would allow it!"

"Are you sure about that?"

Natsu wasn't, and he was certain that the old man would tell him to leave it here. He had allowed Natsu to do many things under his watch, but he hadn't broken any rules for Natsu, and he surely wouldn't start now. He frowned. That left him with only one choice…

"Fine," he said. "I guess that I'll need to raise it with you."

Ultear raised an eyebrow, her cheeks glowing faintly. "Raise it together? You misunderstand. I'll simply claim that it's mine, but you'll be the one doing all the work. In return, you'll allow me to borrow it when it grows older."

He ignored the way she spoke about the dragon. He couldn't imagine Igneel allowing himself to ever be _borrowed_, so there's no way that this dragon would either.

"How did you find it?" he asked. The outside of the egg was smooth, even as he traced his fingers down the flame pattern. "And why did you run away from the guild?"

"I was walking through the forest when I spotted it," she began, looking in the direction of Magnolia. Her fist clenched at her side. "I've never seen anything like it."

"Of course!" Natsu exclaimed. "A dragon's egg would never look like any normal egg!"

Ultear frowned, before looking at him pointedly. "So, are you going to accept my proposal or not? We can't sit here all day."

"Fine," he grumbled, clutching the egg tighter. He shivered beneath her glare, although he didn't miss how she hadn't answered the last part of his question. Yet, he couldn't bring himself to dwell on it for long, as he felt the excitement bubbling within him. "I agree."

* * *

**I hope you enjoy!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Natsu sat on the edge of his bed, watching the egg intently. It had been three weeks since they returned, and there had been no change yet.

"You need to be patient, Natsu," Ultear said from the other side of the room. She was sitting in the chair beside the table, shifting a small blue orb between her hands. "It will take time to hatch."

"But why does it need to take so long?" He flung his hands up into the air, falling back on his bed. Ultear simply sighed. Since she was the one who had to claim the egg, she always had to bring it to him whenever he wanted to be with it—which was all the time—but he never knew why she always chose to stick around.

"Hey Ultear," Natsu said. He propped himself up on his elbows. "Why did you decide to join the council?"

She froze, the orb falling still in one hand as she met his eyes. They stared at each other for a moment, before she turned away. The egg remained still, wrapped in a pile of Natsu's spare clothing.

"I didn't _choose_ to join the council."

"Then why are you here?"

"I suppose that it was similar to yourself," she said. "I didn't want to join one of the guilds, and I had nowhere else to go."

Natsu nodded. "I suppose that makes sense…but why are you always grumpy then?"

Ultear frowned, before tossing the orb at him with a quick flick of her wrist. It hit him square in the head, and he fell back with a cry. It quickly reappeared in her hand.

"Oww!" Natsu exclaimed, rubbing at his sore head. "Why'd you do that?"

"I'm not always grumpy."

Ultear raised the orb again when he shot her a disbelieving look. He yelped, holding his hands up, pleading with her to not throw it again. She sighed again, lowering it with a shake of her head. Natsu had seen a change in the girl since returning from Fairy Tail. She wasn't always mean anymore, but if anything, she had simply gotten quieter. He often found himself unsure of how to act with her, rather than being terrified as he used to be.

"Have you prepared for your next mission?" Ultear asked. Her attempt to change the conversation wasn't missed by him, but he chose not to question her on it.

"Yeah, I guess so…I don't really know what's so important about it, though."

Ultear fixed him with a glare, and he immediately knew that he said something wrong.

"It's important because the council relies on having good ties with the king and princess of Fiore. If we weren't on good terms with them, then we wouldn't have as much power as we do. We rely on them, and they rely on us."

Natsu rubbed the back of his head. "I guess so. I just don't see the importance of someone that just sits in a big chair all day giving orders."

Ultear shook her head and sighed. "You know, Yajima does that too with the council."

"Yajima's different! You know that!"

She stood from her chair, her robes swishing behind her as she moved to the door. The egg remained firm in its bundle of clothing, even as she picked it up. He found his eyes following it, wishing that he could keep it with him until it hatched. If for some reason it hatched when he wasn't around, he didn't know what he'd do.

"You'll be leaving the egg here."

"C'mon!" Natsu pleading, clasping his hands together. "Please let me take the egg with us! I'll take good care of it!"

Ultear simply shook her head, continuing. "Seriously, Natsu, you must prepare yourself. I know that Councilman Yajima will give you orders himself, but do try not to embarrass yourself in front of royalty."

He shot her a smile with raising his hand in a mocking salute. Her frown deepened.

"Aye, Aye!"

The egg shook in her hands, and both occupants froze as their eyes settled on it. There was silence for a moment, before another slight crack could be heard and a thin line began to form down the side of the egg. The shaking increased, and Ultear hastily placed it back on the ground, taking a slight step back.

"It's hatching!" Natsu exclaimed, rushing to get closer. "I can't wait! I'm going to have my own baby dragon!"

There was a thin glow from within as the cracks continued to spread, moving down the side until the egg was covered from top to bottom. Natsu glanced up at Ultear, finding her standing by the door, watching the egg warily.

"Ultear, don't be scared," he said, reaching out and pulling her closer. She resisted at first, before giving in. "I'm sure it'll like you too!"

"I'm not scared, you idiot. I just—"

She was interrupted by the bursting, the eggshells flying through the air. Natsu watched with rapt attention, only to watch as a small blue creature flew up into the air, a pair of tiny white wings sprouted from his back.

"Aye!" the little creature exclaimed, smiling.

"Is that…" Ultear trailed off.

"A cat!"

Natsu rushed forward, watching with rapt eyes. The cat smiled further, before exclaiming "Aye!" again. Natsu laughed, gathering the small creature in his arms. He faced Ultear, whose shocked expression slowly faded into one of uninterest.

"Look, Ultear! It's a cat!"

"I can see that," she replied. She leaned over slightly, getting a better look at it, before sighing. "And here I was, hoping that I'd be able to fly around on a dragon."

"He's just as cool as a dragon! I mean, have you ever seen a cat that could fly before?!"

"Aye!"

"See? He agrees with me!"

"I'm not even sure that he fully understands you," Ultear said. "And why does he seem so happy?"

Natsu's eyes lit up, turning the cat around so that he could face him once again. "Happy! That's a perfect name! What do you think of that, little buddy!"

"Aye!"

Ultear ran a hand down her face, her eyes shut. "Again…that's not what I meant."

Natsu let go of Happy, and the small cat slowly fluttered up to his shoulder. "Hey, Ultear, now that he hatched, that means I can take him with me on the journey to the capital, right?!"

"I'm…not sure about that…"

"What? You can't be serious!"

Happy slowly flew off Natsu's shoulder, approaching Ultear. The girl watched him warily, before the cat raised a paw in her direction and exclaimed. "Ultear!"

Ultear pinched the bridge of her nose. "Oh, no…"

"He even knows your name! That's not fair!"

Natsu pulled the cat back, desperately trying to get him to speak his own name. The cat stuttered a few times but would simply face Ultear again before shouting her name. He gave up when he heard a knock at the door, swearing that he would get the cat to say it another time. Yajima walked in, dressed once more in his travelling close, a pack swung over one shoulder and his cane in the other.

"Natsu, are you ready—" The old man froze, staring at the scene in front of him in disbelief. "It hatched?"

"Yeah! His name is Happy!"

"Aye!"

"And it's a cat…" Yajima shared a quick glance with Ultear, who shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. "I…see."

"Can we take him with us on the trip?"

Yajima rubbed his head. "Well, I suppose that would be up to Ultear, now wouldn't it?!"

Happy and Natsu both turned back to the girl, Natsu with a pleading expression on his face while the cat attempted to copy him. "Pleeeease?!"

"Fine! Fine! Anything so that I could get a bit of peace and quiet!"

Natsu cheered, with Happy soon joining in. Yajima looked on with an amused smile, while Ultear made to move passed him. He rested a hand on her shoulder. "You know, Ultear, you can join us again if you wish."

"I…" She spared a glance back at Natsu and Happy. "I can't this time…There are things that I need to complete here."

"I understand," Yajima said. "Natsu, let's go! I want to be on the train within the hour!"

"Not the train! Please, can't we walk!"

"The capital's too far to walk, so let's pick up the pace!"

"Fine…" Natsu grumbled. He noticed Ultear stepping through the door and called out to her. "Bye, Ultear!"

"Bye, Ultear!" Happy quickly repeated.

She simply raised a hand in response, disappearing through the doorway. Her exit seemed a bit odd, but Natsu couldn't focus on it for long before Happy was flying around, exploring and grabbing a hold of all different types of objects. Yajima turned around, waiting by the door.

"Let's go, Natsu!"

"We're coming!"

**LINE BREAK**

When Natsu had first arrived at Era, he didn't think that any city in the world could possibly beat it in size. He was terribly wrong.

Crocus was at least three times the size of Era, with more people walking through the streets than he could count, and an endless amount of magic being used. The train pulled into the station; a thin trail of smoke being left behind as it rumbled to a stop. Natsu tumbled out of the trail, stomach aching, but for once he was able to ignore it in favor of exploring the city. He felt his stomach grumble as he took one step in the direction of a small restaurant, the smell of food overwhelming.

"Natsu," Yajima called out, waving his cane in the air. Happy flew in the air beside him, watching the city with wide eyes. "We are already running late. We don't have time to eat right now!"

Natsu grumbled quietly, but followed the old man, nonetheless. Happy took a seat on his shoulder, and he scratched the small cat's head. The station was jam-packed full of people, and from the looks of it, the streets would be the same way.

"Where do we even have to go?" Natsu said, trying to ignore the rumbling in his stomach.

Yajima raised his cane, pointing to a castle in the distance. It put the Council Headquarters to shame, easily dwarfing it in height. The walls were massive, with the large central tower standing taller than any building he thought he had ever seen before. Even from here, he could see the guards patrolling the walls, and even in the streets below, laughing or chatting with some of the citizens.

Yajima led them down the road, keeping to one side so that they weren't in the way of traffic. Natsu used the time to explain different things to Happy, such as what different types of food, or what different types of buildings could have been. He even spouted a small puff of fire, much to Happy's enjoyment, although Yajima was quick to admonish him on that, warning him not to do such a thing in a crowded space.

It didn't take long to arrive at the gate, where they were met by a platoon of guards all dressed in armor and equipped with spears. They didn't say a word as they turned and simply let Yajima and himself into the castle. There were more steps than Natsu could count, although he still thought that the Council probably had more.

The throne room was grand, with carpet lining the floors and pillars standing tall throughout the room, holding up the ceiling. There were empty benches lining the sides, all facing the throne at the end of the room. A tiny man sat atop it, dressed in a large fur coat with hair that seemed even grayer than Yajima's. There was another throne beside his, but it remained empty.

Yajima knelt in front of the king, and Natsu and Happy quickly followed.

"King Toma," Yajima said. "It's a pleasure to see you again."

"Yajima! I'm glad that you could arrive on such a short notice. We have much to discuss."

The king's gaze fell on Natsu, and he stiffened. He hadn't known what was so important about the king leading up until now, but standing in his presence, he couldn't help but feel intimidated. Or perhaps, it had to do with the countless amount of guards that lined the throne room.

"This is my student, Natsu," Yajima said. "I hope that you don't mind me bringing him along."

"Of course, not," Toma said. A smaller door opened to the side, and a girl with bright green hair stepped through. "Ah, here is my daughter. How is everything, Hisui?"

Hisui smiled at her father. She seemed to be about his age, although with the extravagant dress she wore, and the crown atop her head, she looked much older.

"I'm fine, father."

"That's good." King Toma hopped off his throne, striding over to Yajima. Hisui looked like she wanted to say something more but held herself back. "Now, while I discuss a few things with Yajima, why don't you keep Natsu company for a bit?"

Hisui met his gaze and seemed to frown for a moment before recovering and offering a small smile. Natsu had the sudden feeling that she wouldn't like him much. Happy seemed oblivious, as he slowly began to fly over to the princess, receiving a few pets in return. "Of course."

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed! **


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